This invention relates to a fishing appliance and, in particular, to apparatus for recovering a lure or plug which has snagged in deep water.
When trolling or casting for fish in relatively deep water, it is not uncommon for the hook, and thus the attached lure, to become entangled with some heavy obstruction located well below the surface. As all fishermen are aware, excessive tugging on the fouled line generally results in the line breaking and the lure being lost. The loss of a lure can prove to be not only costly but also a frustrating experience where the lure has shown itself to be a particularly effective device.
Some devices are known in the art for recovering snagged lures, however, most of these devices have certain disadvantages associated therewith that make them unsuitable for use by the average fisherman. As exemplified by the retriever disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,360,292, many of these devices, although effective, typically involve large complex mechanisms which cannot be conveniently stored and carried in a conventional tackle box. Other retrievers, such as the ones illustrated in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,714,777 and 3,375,602, are specifically designed to actively engage only the swivel or leader which holds the lure to the line. Once engaged, it is hoped that the swivel is strong enough to permit the snagged lure, to be pulled free without separating therefrom. In practice, particularly where the tackle is less than new, the swivel oftentimes breaks before the lure can be freed.